Mississippi Science E.3.9.1
The Standard
- E.3.9
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of how the Earth’s systems (i.e., geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) interact in multiple ways to affect Earth's surface materials and processes.
Develop models to communicate the characteristics of the Earth's major systems, including the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere (e.g., digital models, illustrations, flip books, diagrams, charts, tables).
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Earth’s Systems and Cycles
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students draw or build a model showing Earth's rock and soil, water, air, and living things. They label each part with its system name and explain what it includes.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student labels a bird as part of the biosphere, wind as part of the atmosphere, a stream as part of the hydrosphere, and bedrock as part of the geosphere. They explain each choice.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may leave ice out of Earth's water because it is solid. They may mistake soil for a living thing because plants grow in it.
How to Assess It
- Give students a sketch of a pond with rocks, water, a fish, and sky. Ask them to label each with its Earth system name and write one detail about each system.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Place rocks, a potted plant, and a cup of water on a tray; students label each and the surrounding air with sticky notes.
Show a snowy mountain photo and ask, 'Where would you draw the ice, rock, air, and trees in a labeled model?'
Play a sorting relay with picture cards of wind, ice, a beetle, and gravel; teams place each under its system name.
Sketch a watered garden bed and label its soil, water, air, and plants with their system names.
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Printable E.3.9.1 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to E.3.9.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- E.3.9
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how the Earth’s systems (i.e., geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) interact in multiple ways to aff...
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Develop and use models to discuss the climate, flora, and fauna of the terrestrial and aquatic biomes of the world.
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